Ornella M J Gunesekere, represented Sri Lanka at the 15th Miss Tourism International World Final held in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia. She was placed among the Top 15 of the 54 delegates representing their respective countries, and was also awarded the title of ‘Miss Friendship’.
Speaking about being placed in the Top 15, Ornella Gunesekere said, “I cannot explain what I felt at that moment when Sri Lanka was called. My mind just went blank and I didn’t know what to do. I was so happy to hear Sri Lanka being called.”
Voted by her own competitors as ‘Miss Friendship’, the title was particularly important this year because the pageant’s theme was Winning Friends from the World. “It’s such a beautiful feeling to know you’ve made a positive impact on people from different parts of the word,” she said.
One of the highlights of the pageant was Ornella Gunesekere’s National Costume. The eye-catching gown was designed based on Sri Lanka’s national flower, the Nil Manel, and the national butterfly.
